I say: This is a weak chain of transmission. Its narrators are trustworthy except for this Mufaddal, namely Mufaddal ibn Abi Umayyah, Abu Malik al-Basri, the brother of Mubarak; he is weak. However, it has a corroborating narration from Abu al-Ahwas, from his father, attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, with similar wording. It was recorded by Ibn Hibban (1434 and 1435) and others. It also has another corroborating narration from Abu Hurayrah, recorded by Abu al-Shaykh in al-Tabaqat.
- “Allah has placed blessing in the pre-dawn meal and in measuring.”
Al-Khatib recorded it in al-Muwaddih (1/263), through Rufayn ibn Isa, who said: Arta'ah ibn al-Mundhir narrated to us, from Dawud ibn Abi Hind, from Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib, from Abu Hurayrah, attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Abd al-Ghani al-Maqdisi also recorded it in Fada'il Ramadan (15/2) through this route, naming him Asad ibn Isa.
I say: Al-Hafiz mentioned this Asad in al-Lisan and said: “He was also called Rufayn and was one of the devoted worshippers of Syria. Makhul al-Bayruni said, from Dawud ibn Jamil: ‘They had no doubt that he was among the Abdal.’ Ibn Hibban said in al-Thiqat: ‘He narrated uncommon reports; the people of Iraq and of his own town narrated from him.’”
I say: Thus, the hadith is good, if Allah, Most High, wills. However, al-Maqdisi did not mention the word “measuring” in his narration from him; rather, he mentioned “the congregation” in its place, as will follow in the wording: “Blessing is in three ...” I have found a corroborating narration for the first version from the hadith of Ali, with the wording: “and in food and measured goods.” Its chain is weak, as I explained in “The Congregation Is a Blessing ...”
- “Fleeing from the plague is like fleeing from battle.”
Ibn Sa'd (8/490) reported: Yazid ibn Harun informed us; Ja'far ibn Kaysan narrated to us; Amrah bint Qays al-Adawiyyah narrated to us. She said: “I entered upon Aishah and asked her about fleeing from the plague. She said: ‘The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said ...’” Then she cited it.
Ahmad also recorded it (6/82 and 255): Yahya ibn Ishaq narrated to me; Ja'far ibn Kaysan informed me of it. Its wording is: “... the one who remains in it is like a martyr, and the one who flees ...”